Rabies.
We are often asked , “why does our cat need a Rabies shot? It never goes out!”. The short answer is, it’s the law! According to the state laws of both New Hampshire and Massachusetts, ALL cats are required to be immunized against Rabies. This law is enacted to protect us, the cat owning public, from Rabies, not necessarily your cat. Vaccinating our pets, gives us a buffer from the wild animals that can carry Rabies and could interact with our pets. So, what are the chances of your cat being exposed to Rabies? Hopefully not too likely, but all cats are at risk. The statistics for MA and NH show that there is always a possible exposure, even for indoor cats, through bats or rodents. Here are the numbers for 2009:
MA 130 total cases NH 34 Total cases
9 cats 2 cats
1 sheep/goat 2 sheep/goats
60 raccoons 12 raccoons
21 bats 6 bats
21 skunks 8 skunks
11 fox 4 fox
7 rodents
Did you notice that there are NO dogs on the list? Dog owners are more likely to vaccinate than cat owners. Cat owners just don’t think their cat is at risk, and cats are receiving less Veterinary care than in the past. All cats, if they are well enough, should be immunized against Rabies. Talk to your veterinarian about it and make sure that your cat and YOU are protected!
August 16, 2010
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We are often asked , “why does our cat need a Rabies shot? It never goes out!”. The short answer is, it’s the law! According to the state laws of both New Hampshire and Massachusetts, ALL cats are required to be immunized against Rabies. This law is enacted to protect us, the cat owning public, from Rabies, not necessarily your cat. Vaccinating our pets, gives us a buffer from the wild animals that can carry Rabies and could interact with our pets. So, what are the chances of your cat being exposed to Rabies? Hopefully not too likely, but all cats are at risk. The statistics for MA and NH show that there is always a possible exposure, even for indoor cats, through bats or rodents. Here are the numbers for 2009:
MA 130 total cases NH 34 Total cases
9 cats 2 cats
1 sheep/goat 2 sheep/goats
60 raccoons 12 raccoons
21 bats 6 bats
21 skunks 8 skunks
11 fox 4 fox
7 rodents
Did you notice that there are NO dogs on the list? Dog owners are more likely to vaccinate than cat owners. Cat owners just don’t think their cat is at risk, and cats are receiving less Veterinary care than in the past. All cats, if they are well enough, should be immunized against Rabies. Talk to your veterinarian about it and make sure that your cat and YOU are protected!
August 16, 2010
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